Chapter Thirteen – Healing

It was late afternoon and Fromas hurried back to his healer's hut, flushed with relief. For he had at last spied a small group of strangers arriving at the Golden Hall. Which meant he could abandon his uncomfortable and dangerous post to bring the news to Arlannis that her brother had come.

'Arlannis?' he ventured when he got inside and locked the door, 'are you here?'

Two faces, one pale as milk and the other sunburnt from days in the saddle, melted out of the gloom as his eyes adjusted to the dim light.

'My Lord Eomer!' he gasped, 'it does me good to see you hale and hearty!'

Before Eomer could say anything inconvenient to him about master keys and other such matters, he continued, 'Arlannis, my dear, I bring good news. I have seen a party of four strangers come to the Golden Hall only moments ago! It is you brother and his friends, I heard him give his name to the guards.'

'Four?' said Arlannis puzzled.

'Aye, four there were and one of them I have the honour of knowing personally, my dear,' said Fromas, 'for well I know the wizard, Gandalf. He is once again amongst us!'

Eomer stared as Arlannis turned even paler and seemed to sink within herself. 'But Gandalf did not escape Moria,' she whispered, 'Gandalf is dead.'

Fromas looked slightly nonplussed at this and said cautiously, 'He looked fine to me. Of course I didn't actually examine him to make sure, but on the face of it, my dear, Gandalf is most definitely alive.'

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The three of them left Fromas' hut and made for the Golden Hall with all speed. Fromas kept himself huddled in his cloak, but Eomer and Arlannis strode barefaced with heads high towards the Hall. Arlannis' heart pounded with both hope and fear. Eomer had told her of his meeting with Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli as he dashed to Edoras carrying her wounded body. She had no memory of it, but the knowledge that she would once again see her friends made her heart light. But there was one memory Arlannis would carry forever and that was the sight of Gandalf plummeting into darkness, dragged down by an ancient evil. And now she feared to discover what walked the land wearing his face.

They had reached the steps leading up to the Hall when she had her answer. Eomer breathed 'Wormtongue!' as a black clad figure fell down the steps hotly pursued by the Lord of the Mark and a tall figure carrying a staff. Gandalf. But gone were the grey robes of old and grey hair, replaced by shining white raiment and hair as white as snow.

A light of justice and a knowledge of great suffering hung in his eyes and all doubt left Arlannis' heart. Here was her old friend, miraculously returned from darkness.

 Wormtongue sped past them, Arlannis spared him a glance. He seemed a slight enough creature to her, not imposing enough to have caused all the trouble attributed to him.

She turned back and it was then Gandalf spied her and cried, 'Arlannis!' She smiled at Eomer and Fromas and bounded up the steps towards the wizard. He enfolded her in a tight embrace saying 'It is good to see you, my little Ranger!'

'Oh Gandalf,' she cried, 'can it be? How did you escape the Balrog?'

'All in good time,' Gandalf answered lightly, but his expression turned sad as he surveyed the wounds on Arlannis' face.

'Aragorn told me of your ordeal, Arlannis, you have had excellent care,' here he smiled slightly and spoke up a little, 'I think I detect your skilled hands in this, Master Fromas.'

Fromas shuffled forward a few steps, 'Oh. Yes. That. Well, I just cleaned her up a bit and put some salve on, m'lord. She did the rest on her own. Nothing either of us could do about the ear, though.'

'I see,' answered Gandalf thoughtfully, 'then maybe there is something I can do.'

Arlannis drew breath sharply as the old wizard cupped her mutilated face in his hands and closed his eyes. Being healed by a wizard was an experience that Arlannis would never be able to describe to her satisfaction. It was as though her head was being held under a fountain of icy water, yet she felt a warmth running through her. A stinging around her injured ear increased in intensity and then passed. Gandalf released her and opened his eyes. She raised her hands and ran them slowly over her face. The skin on her cheek was smooth with no trace of the Orc's blade. And her ear was whole and perfect as it had been before the capture.

Arlannis smiled, then laughed. Gandalf laughed too at her wonder and delight and also at the expression on Fromas' face. For the old healer had climbed the steps to be at Arlannis' side and was now staring at her in open admiration. 'A complete recovery!' he proclaimed with glee, pinching her ear to test its authenticity. 'It won't fall off, will it?'

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Legolas watched from the Hall's entrance. Arlannis was laughing and the sound of it gladdened his heart. She was in her brother's arms now and he saw her gaze turning towards him. As she caught sight of him, her eyes glowed anew and she eagerly beckoned him to join them.

Legolas moved with fluid grace down the uneven steps and was at her side in a moment. Gimli lumbered after him and both received a warm embrace from her. Legolas had held her gently, mindful of her injuries but she had smiled at him and said, 'You need not be so careful, Legolas. You do not think Gandalf would only half-heal me, do you?'

And though there was much grief in Edoras for the death of Theoden's son and regret for the time wasted by Wormtoungue's foul machinations, there was also joy as part of the Fellowship was reunited.

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